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Pitt County deputies, Grifton Police and members of Crimestoppers patrolled the area of McCrae Street for about an hour Wednesday afternoon. They said they talked with neighbors and have gotten tips about the case.

Samantha Tripp, who lives on that street, found the injured cat Tuesday morning. She said when she took her dog outside, it began barking. Tripp then noticed the hurt cat under her car.

"I didn't think anything of the cat. I just thought it was scared," Tripp told NewsChannel 12. "I tried to get the cat out. He wasn't coming out. I looked underneath and there was an arrow stuck in his back."

When investigators arrived at the scene, they found the cat still alive, but with the arrow completely through its body, said Police Chief Bryan Cauley.

The animal was taken to Faithful Friends Veterinary on Highway 11, said Chief Cauley. But due to the severity of the injury, the cat was put down.

Marie Fachet is a co-founder of the Home At Last Foundation in New Bern, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter. Fachet said she sees incidents like this happen all the time.

"Unfortunately, there are some people who, instead of calling the Human Society or shelters, take matters into their own hands," said Fachet. "I’ve probably taken care of at least 20 cats and five dogs that have all had bullets or something of some sort."

Veterinarian Roxanne Taylor said owners sometimes don't even know their own pets are victims until x-rays are taken.